03 June 2016

One
thing I love about BookExpo American (BEA) is the look into my reading
future. Publicists are naturally extra-excited about the books coming
out over the summer, but they are also already talking about fall and
even 2017.

Although I won't likely get to these books
until the weather starts to turn again, I thought I share a handful of
those that came home with me from Chicago. So what's on my list? A mix
of familiar authors and new ones, literary fiction and fantasy, books in
translation, and even some art history. Can't wait to hear which ones
call to you.

Favorite Authors / New Novels

• Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Levitt:
Set around 1970, this novel captures an era as a young girl heads off
to rural Pennsylvania on a journey of independence. A coming-of-age
story with themes of first love, sisters, and loss of innocence all with an
undercurrent of danger. "Lucy runs away with her high school teacher,
William, on a Friday, the last day of school, a June morning shiny with
heat." (Algonquin, October) • The Motion of Puppets by Keith Donohue:
In Donohue's classic style of mixing reality with fantasy, this is a
tale of a woman who is trapped in a magical world and of her husband who
must first find her and then figure out how to rescue her. Set in the
Old City of Quebec "She fell in love with a puppet." (Picador, October)

Stories about Writers: Translated

• Cabo de Gata by Eugen Ruge:
A Berlin writer escapes his past to start over in small coastal
Andalusian village, but settling in to a new home in his new country
requires more than just trying to learn Spanish. Only after he befriends
a ginger cat, does his life begin to truly change. Translated from the
German. "I remember stopping short midmovement." (Graywolf Press,
November) • Agnes by Peter Stamm: When Agnes asks her lover to
write a story about her, he begins with their happy courtship, but he
soon realizes he needs some tension or drama to bring life to his tale.
Is he writing fiction or making plans? Translated from the German.
"Agnes is dead. Killed by a story." (Other Press, October)

Mysterious Doings

• The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz:
This story within stories, set in France in 1242, is about a peasant
girl, a young monk, and a mysterious boy healer. Travelers at an inn
begin to relate what they know about the magical trio, allowing us to
piece together a tale of danger, dragons, clashing religions, and kingly
courts. Middle grade fantasy with a Chaucer foundation &
beautiful illuminated illustrations. "The king is ready for war."
(Dutton, September) • The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders:
Laetitia Rodd, a middle-aged widow puts her inquiring mind to work as a
private investigator, often helping her barrister brother. When she goes
undercover as a governess at a country estate, she unearths much more
than the details of the young master's love life. Set in Victorian
England and the first of a new series. "It was a bright, windy October
morning, and Mrs. Bentley and I were down in the basement kitchen making
a rabbit pudding." (Bloomsbury, September)

Artists in History

• A Revolution in Color by Jane Kamensky:
John Singleton Copley counted many of the Boston patriots as his
clients and patrons in the years before the Revolution. The artist,
however, did not share their political views. This well-researched
history/biography looks at Copley's life, ambitions, and paintings both
in the colonies and in London and sets all in the context of
contemporary politics and sociocultural ideas. "John Singleton Copley
grew up facing the sea, heaving heart of Britain's growing blue-water
empire." (Norton, October) • Mad Enchantment by Ross King: When
you hear the name Claude Monet, you're likely to immediately think of
his famous water lily paintings, but you might not know story behind how
he came to create that series. This thoroughly researched biography
looks at Monet's late-in-life work against the bigger picture of his
personal losses, World War I, and the rising generation of new artists
with their bold, experimental styles. "Where was Georges Clemenceau?"
(Bloomsbury, September)

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About Me

I'm a freelance book editor, reviewer, and journalist blogging as Beth Fish. On these pages, you'll find book reviews, book features, and other bookish content. I like to spotlight my favorite imprints and I'm a long-time audiobook lover. (I was the Audio Publishers Association's 2016 Audiobook Blogger of the Year!) Each Saturday I host my popular Weekend Cooking feature. Don't forget to look for my weekly photograph. You can find me on social media as @BethFishReads. Publicists, publishers, authors: please see my review policy. NB: I did not work on any book mentioned on this site.

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